Handling apparatus



M. F. BAYER. HANDLING APPARATUS, APPLICAT M FILED 0%.. I91]- 1,340,648.Patented May 18, 1920.

10 SHEETS-SHEET I.

M. F. BAYER. HANDLING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 26,191].

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fl'zeladwy M. F. BAYER.

HANDLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.26, 1917.

Patented May 18, 1920.

10 5HEET$SHEET 3.

M. F. BAYER. HANDLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.26,191'7- 1,34.O,648L atented May 18, 1920. 10SHEETS-SHEET 5.

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HANDLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 05c. 26. 1911.

. 4 Patented May 18, 1920.

I0 SHEETS-SHEET 6- 5 fil JL 1|. A ix L1 1 10 SHEETS-SHEET 7'1 PatentedMay 18, 1920.-

M. F. BAYER.

HANDLING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED DEC.26, I917.

M. F. BAYER.

HANDLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED uc.2s, 1917.

1 40,648, Patented May 18,1920.

:0 SHEETSSHEET 8- 44 M. F. BAYER. HANDLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-Z61 1917.

1,340,648. Patented May 18,1920.

l0 SHEETSSHEET 9- M. F. BAYER.

HANDLING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 26. I917.

Patented May 18,1920

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE-.-

MA'ITHEW F. BAYER, OF KENOSHA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO SIMMONS COMPANY,OF

KENOSHA, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

HANDLING- APPARATUS.

To tzz whom it may 00mm.-

. Be it known that I,MATTHEW F BAYER a citizen of the United States,residing at I e- 'nosha, in the county of Kenosha and State adapted foruse in'connection with the ap plication of surface coatings to largearticles,

such as metal bedstead ends and'the like.

Among the salient objects of the invention are, to provide apparatus ofsuch character that articles may be automatically sub jected totreatment without manual manipulation; to provide apparatus of the classdescribed in which the articles may be passed through the apparatus in acontinuous series, although treated intermittently; to provide anapparatus of the class described in which a series of articles areautomatically arrested for successive treatment-when they enter thetreating zone; to provide apparatus of the class described requiring aminimum of manual attention and into which articles may be rapidly andconveniently supplied to or removed from the apparatus; to pro vide anapparatus of the'class described in which a a temporary shortage of the'un-. treated articles does. not result in a loss in the period ofeffective operation of the machine, and, similarly,-in which a temporary7 in Fig. 16;

piling up oftreated articles after passing through the apparatus doesnot result in enforced stoppage'of the apparatus; to provide apparatusfor handling and treating articles, so organized that the period andcharacter of the treatment are automatically uniform for each articletreated; to pro vide a construction'which shall be simple in' design,economical to manufacture, and inexpensive to operate and maintain; and,in

general, to provide an improved of the character referred to.

Broadly stated, the apparatus contemplates the provision of aconveyerfor moving a series of articles, the arrangement be ing such that at apredetermined point in the travel of said conveyer one or more'of thearticles carried thereby is automatically projected from the conveyingfield-into the zone of treatment. After such treatment,

apparatus the article is returned into the conveying ticular applicationof my invention, I have shown a form of handling apparatus primarilydesigned for dipping bedstead end frames.

In the drawings which accompany this application- Figure l is a frontside elevation of the power end 'of the apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the idler end of the apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a rear side elevation, looking from the back of Fig. 1;

elevation of the lowering mechanlsm Specification of Letters Patent.Patented May 18f1920,

Application filed December 26, 1917. Serial No. 208,793. v

i Fig. 9 is a side elevation of a safety device associated with thelowering mechanism;

Figs. 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 representdiagrammatically various cycles ofmovement of the clutch mechanism;

Fig. 15 is a section taken on the line 15-15 'of Fig. 3; Fig. 16 is aside elevation of a portion of the conveyer chain;

Fig. 17 is a plan view of the parts shown Fig. 20 is a section taken on.the line a 20.20 of Fig. 7; O

Fig. 21 is an end view of a portion of the safety mechanism shown inFig. 9; and

Fig. 22 is a view similar to Fig. 21, but

showing the safety mechanism in a different I position.

Referring to the figures, in Fig. 8, 30 represents the top of a coatingtank having a suflicie'nt depth and'cross-section to completelyaccommodate the article --to be.

coated,--in the fpresent instance, a tubular metal bedstead rameend 31.The coating of the bed may preferably be effected by. projecting a pairof parallel opposed sheet like-streams 32 and 33 thr ugh which the bedframe is lowered. Such a coating device as I have described is disclosedin the pending application of Edward C. Alleman, Serial No. 86,337,filed March 24, 1916, Method of and apparatus for applying liquid coat-Fach bed frame is hung upon a bail member 34 (see also Figs. 6 and 7)having a pair of depending hooks 35 for engaging the transversetubulartop of the bed frame. Said bail 34 is itself suspended from theends of a hollow axle frame 36 by means of a pair of hooks 37 cast onthe ends of the pipe 36. To preventrelative movement of the two sets ofhooks 35 and 37, the upper cross member of the bail 34 is bowed slightlyso as to resiliently fit within a notch 38 in a hub 39 cast centrallyupon the pipe 36 as shown in ,Fig. 20. To release the bail member -34 inorder to facilitate the cleaning thereof when it is desired to make achange in the coating fluid, the bail 34 is sprung down out of the notch38, after which it may be removed from the hooks 37 in an obviousmanner.

In the ends of the hollow axle member 36 there is securely fixed a pairof short pins 40 projecting outwardly to form journals for the trolleywheels 41, said trolley wheels 41 being adapted to roll upon a pair ofspaced apart angle-iron track members 42. Said track members 42 areriveted to a series of pairs of vertical angle irons 43, the upper endsof which are bolted to a pair of stringers 44 hung from the ceiling ofthe paint shop by suspension bolts 45.

Above the lower tracks 42 there are secured to vertical members 43 aseries of spaced apart cross-pieces 47, to the lower sides of which aresecured inverted channels 48. Above the'cross-pieces 47, a second seriesof other suitable cross-pieces 49 are also secured to the verticals 43,and upon said cross-pieces 49 are secured another pair of channel irons51 directly above the inverted channels 48. The said pairs of channels48 and 51- constitute troughs in which run the conveyer chains 52, eachlink section of the chains having riveted thereon a fork-shapedprojection 53 adapted to. straddle one end of the axle tube 36. Whilethe trolleysare returning on the upper or back stretch of the chain,they are supported and engaged by.

the upper surface of the link chains 52.

The opposite ends of the endless conveyer chains 52 are trained aroundpairs of sprockets 56 and 57, the sprockets 57 being simply idlers,whereas the sprockets 56 are keyed to a shaft 58 intermittently rotatedby mechanism to be hereinafter described. It is understood that suitablemeans, for instance, adjusting screws 59 and blocks 60, are provided atthe idler end of the chain in order to takeup any slack which may bepresent or which may develop, due to wear of the conveyer chain.

Describing the particular means associated with the dipping tanlsbywhich each bed end as it reaches a position above the tank is loweredthereinto, it will be observed, by

referring to Figs. 8 and 9, that immediately above the dipping tank 30there is a break or and 67 which, in the present instance, take the formof shafting having their upper ends seated in fixed cap pieces 68 andhaving their lower ends suitabl secured to the floor of the paint shop.bove the cross-heads and to the guides 66 and 67 is secured a pair ofcastings 69 formed with inwardly projecting bosses 70 upon which arerotatably mounted sheaves 71. Cables 72 are secured to the cross-heads65 by sockets 7 3 and are trained over the sheaves 71 from which theyextend in a horizontal direction to a pair of winding drums 74 onopposite sides of the conveyer chain and are'keyed to a shaft 75. Oneach end of the shaft is also keyed a third drum 74 accommodating acable 76, on the lower end of which is suspended a counterweight 77contained within a vertical guide tube 78. The shaft is intermittentlydriven by mechanism to be' described later.

Going back to the details of the lowering apparatus, it will be observedthat on the inwardly projecting end of each cross-head 65 there ismounted a pair of guard plates 79 spaced apart to inclose the end of thecross-head and connected by a pivot pin 80 capable of pivotal movementin an open bearing 81. A second pin 82, also extending between the twoplates 79,is engaged upon its upper side by means of a flat plate spring83 secured to the top edge of the cross-head 65 by a screw 84 andnormally tendingto rotate said plates 79 into the position shown in Fig.22. When the cross-heads 65 are in their upper position, as shown inFigs. 9 and 21, the upper corners 85 of the plates 79, are engaged bythe lower edge of the longitudinal tie-piece-86 extending across the gapin the track rails 42, and are forced to occupy the vertical positionshown in Figs. '7, 9, and 21. It will be observed that when thecross-head is in its upper position,'the plates 79 do not obstruct themovement of the trolleys into or out-of the gap in the track rails,

due to vibration or other causes.

wheels jumping out of the depression 63, Thus, there is no possibilityof disarranging the apparatus or dropping'a bed frame by reason of atrolley becoming unshipped from the lowering mechanism.

- Describing the powerdriven actuating mechanism for the apparatus, 87is a platform suspended from the ceiling of the paint shop by suitablerods 88, said platform supporting an electric motor 89,- with itsassociated gearing. Describing said gearing, 90 is a pinion keyed to theprojecting end of the motor shaft and meshing with a large spur gear 91keyed to a worm shaft 92 rota:

' journal boxes 101 and 102 bolted to o posite sides of the platform 87.The she 99 acts as a foundation for the built-up structure, consistingof the inner sleeve 103,,outer.

sleeve 104 which actually constitutes the journal of the structure, thecompanion clutch collar 105, and the crank disk 106. All of said parts99, 103,104, 105, and 106 are securely keyed together so that theyrotate in the bearing 101 as a single element. The stub shaft 100 ispart of a similar builtup structure comprising the inner sleeve 107 towhich are keyed the outer sleeve 108, the clutch collar 109, and thecrank arm 110.

As'shown in Fig. 3, the crankdisk 106 has a crank pin 111 whichaccommodates one end of awconnecting link 112, the other end of the saidlink 112 being pivotally connected to a pin 113 on the end of anoscillatory arm 114 loosely mounted on the end of the shaft. 58. Saidarm 114 carries, a

spring-pressed pivotally mounted pawl 115' which coiiperates with theteeth of a ratchet wheel- 116 which is keyed to the said shaft 58.Retrograde movements of the shaft\5'8 are prevented by means of a detent117 carone tooth space, and the next half revolution will cause the pawl115 to be retracted into its original position, as shown in Fig. 3,

in order to engage the next tooth of the Ir tchet wheels The ratchetwheel-hasthe same number of teeth as the sprocket 57, so

that-Teach revolution of the crank disk 106 .willadvancethe trolleys onelink space of the'conveyer cha1n. I I

1, the crank arm.110

Referringto Fig.

' compression spring the has at its outer. end a pin 119 to rotatablyaccommodate one end of a long connecting rod 120, the other end of whichis pivotally connected to a boss on the upper side of a rack bar 121capable of being reciprocated upon a pair of horizontal rods 122 and 123upon-which said rack bar 121 is slidably mounted. The under side of saidrack bar 121 is provided with teeth 124 which mesh with the teeth of apinion 125 keyed to the drum shaft 75. It will be apparent that byvreason of the mechanism just described, a rotary movement of the crankarm 110 will result in a to-and-fro oscillatory movement of the drum 74,this resulting in the lowering and raising of the cross-heads whichtemporarily support I the particular bed frame being treated'i It mustof course be understood that during the lowering and raising of thecross-heads 65 to treat the .article, the conveyer must be stationary.

Also, during the actuation of the conveyer,

the cross-heads 65 must remain quiescent while the trolleys are beingadvanced one link space so as to permit the removal of the treatedarticle from the zone of the cross- '-heads and to engage therewith anuntreated bedframe.

Special mechanism is employed to actuate the crank disk 106 and thecrank arm 110 in properly timed relation, so as to provide the necessaryidle periods in the cycles of their movements.

In'the clutch collar 105 I drill a cylindrical aperture 126, parallelwith the axis of the collar, for slidably receiving a clutch pin 127which normally tends to move out of said bore 126 and toward the clutchdisk 97 under the influence of a strong coiled 128. In the opposite faceof the clutch disk 97 isa pair of diametrically opposed cylindricaldepressions 129 and 130 large enough to admitthe outer end of the clutchpin 127. The clutch collar 109 is arranged with a similar spring pressedclutch pin 131 designed to coeperate with clutch holes. 132 and 133 inthe outer face of the clutch disk 98. The clutch collars and 109 aregroovedout, as shown T at 134and 135, to receive at certain periodsmovable unclutching fingers 136 and 137.

- As shown in' Fig.4, said unclutching 'fingers,

136 and 137 are pointed attheir ends, so that when they are loweredradially into grooves 134, their points will enter notches 138 and 139out in the sides of the pins 127 and 131. v When one ofhe clutch pins isengaged with a clutch hole in the adjacent clnt'chu;

disk, the'collar and clutch pin revolve with the shaft 96, and if, during said rotation, one of'the clutch fingers be dropped into the groovein one of the clutch collars, the ro'-' tary movement'ofthe clutch pinwillcause it to move rearwardly in its guideaperture constitutes theunclutching finger against the pressure of its spring, by reason of thewedging action of the point of the stationary clutch finger which entersthe notch in the clutch pin. As shown in Fig. 5, the unclutching finger137 has been lowered into the grooy e 135 of the collar 109 and theclutch pin 131 has been pulled out rearwardly so as to disengage theclutch dlsk 98 and arrest the rotation of the shaft 100 and associatedparts. As to the stub shaft 99, this is shown connected to theconstantly'rotating shaft 96 through the clutch pin 127,

' the unelutching finger 136 being raised into inoperative position.

The movement of each of the unclutching fingers 136 and 137 iscontrolled by the rotary movement of the clutch collar associated withthe opposite unclutching finger. To this end there is formed on theclutch collar 105 a radial cam projection 140 which is adapted tooscillate an arm 141 keyed to the horizontal shaft 142 rotatablysupported in suitable bearings parallel with .the shaft 96. On the otherend of the shaft 142 there is keyed an arm 143 on which is formedtheunclutching finger 137, previously described. Normally, the roller 142runs on the concentric surface of the clutch collar 105, but when it isengaged by the cam projection 140, the arm 141 is raised, therebyraising the unclutching finger 137 carried by the other end of saidshaft 142 out of the groove 135, releasing the clutch pin 131. Hence, itwill be readily seen that if the clutch collar 105 be rotating with theshaft 96, with the clutch collar 109 stationary, engagement, of the cam140 with the roller 144 will cause the clutch collar 109 to commence arotary movement.- Similarly, the clutch collar 109 is-formed with a camprojection 145 coiiperating with a roller 146 on the end of a cam arm147 keyed to a sleeve 148 loosely mounted on the. intermediate portionof the shaft 142. The other end of said sleeve 148 carries keyed theretoan arm 149, the end of which 136. Hence, when the collar109 is clutchedto the shaft 96, the rotary movement of the cam 145 will operate thearms 147 and 149 and lift the unclutching finger 136 out \of the groove134 and clutch together the collar 105 and the clutch disk 97. Byreferring to Figs. 18 and 19, it will be observed that the clutch pin131 is on the same side as, and in line with, the cam 145, whereas, thecam projection 140 is diametrically opposed to the clutch pin 127 on theother clutch collar 105. The"purpose of such arrangement is to utilizethe idle period corresponding to the retraetile movement of the pawl arm114.

Referrlng toFigs. 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14, F g. 10 represents thecondition shown in Figs. 5, 18, and19, with the shaft 96 clutched to thecrank disk 106, thereby enabling it'to rotate the crank pin 111 whichactuates the conveyer. Fig. 11 shows the condition after the shaft 96has movedthrbugh one-half of a revolution. During said half revolution,the crank pin 111 has also moved through a half revolution, therebyactuating the conveyer for a distance equal to one link space.

When the crank pin 111 has reached the position shown in F ig. 11, nofurther move-.

when the shaft 96 has made a whole revolution, as shown in Fig. 12, theclutch pin 127 engages the unclutching finger 136 and the crank pin 111ceases to rotate. During the next half revolution, the crank pin 119oper ates to raise the cross-heads and return to the position shown inFig. 13, at which time, the clutch pin 131, having reached the field ofthe'unclutching finger 137, is withdrawn and the crank pin 119 ceases torotate. The shaft 96 has thus moved through a complete cycle of fivehundred and forty degrees (540), the mechanism being in. the samecondition as shown in Fig. 10. Fig. 14

shows the overlapping of the-movements of combinationof a frame, aplurality of carriers movable on the frame, means for intermittentlyadvancing the carriers consecutively along the frame from a receivingposition and returning same thereto, and mechanismlfor withdrawing eachcarrier from said means and returning s ame thereto during periods ofrest of said advancing means.

2. In a device of the'class described, the

combination of a frame, a plurality of carriers movable therealong, anendless belt operable on the frame for moving the carriers consecutivelyin an endless path ffom a receiving position at one .end of the frameand back thereto, and a reciprocating mechanism for consecutivelywithdrawing each carrier from and returning same to engagement with thebelt. 7 V.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of an elongatedframe,'a plurality of carriers movable longitudinally of the frame, anendless belt detachably engag-.

carriers movable lengthwise of the frame, an

endless belt adapted to move the carriers in an endless pathconsecutively along the frame .over the dipping tank, and reciprocatingmechanism adapted to withdraw and return each carrier directly to andfrom the endless belt ata point above the dipping tank so as to impart adirect up and down movement to the article on said carrier for immersingsame in the dipping tank.-

-moving the carriers 5. In a device of the class described, thecombination of a plurality of carriers having means forsuspendingarticles therefrom, mechanism for consecutively advancing said carriersover a treating zone, and vertically reciprocating mechanism forconsecutively depressing and elevating each carrier and the articlesuspended thereon, in a vertical plane at a; predetermined point overthe treating zone. a

6. In a device of theclass described, the

combination of an elevated frame a plurality of carriers movableconsecutively along the under side of the frame and normally elevatedmechanism adapted to be depressed below the frame to successivelyproject the carriers down from and return same to the frame.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a longitudinalframe, a plu-' rality of carriers movable along the frame, anintermittently operable endless belt for consecutively step" by step inan endless path from end to end of the frame, and means automaticallyoperable at intervals of rest of said belt to consecutively Withdraw thecarriers from and return same to engagement with the endless belt.

8. In a device of the class described, the

. combination of a longitudinal frame, a pluporting w rality of carriersoperable along the. frame, an endless belt having-means detachablyengaging the carriers for moving the latter in an endless path from endto end of the frame, and reciprocating mechanism for consecutivelyremoving each carrier from and returning said carrier to the sameposition of enga ement with the belt.

9. In a device of'the class described, the

combination of a carrier frame,a plurality of carriers movable along theframe, eac comprisin a transverse shaft-with a device of the classdescribed, the" 55 eel at each end, an endless t adapted to move thecarriers consecutively in an endless path from end to end ofthe frame,saidbelt being provided with yokes straddling the shaft of each carrierto main-- tain the latter in a predetermined relative position on theframe, and mechanism for removing and returning each carrier from theframe, and adapted to withdraw the shaft of each carrier from itsretaining yokes and return same into engagement therewith.

10. In a deviceof the class described, the combination of a longitudinalframe, a plurality of carriers movable lengthwise of the frame, anendless belt for removing the carn riers consecutively along the framefrom a receiving position and returning same there to and hangersdepending from the carriers as the latter moveaway from thereceivingposition, and adapted to automatically fold when returning tothe receiving position.

11. In a device of the class described, the combination of a frame,,aplurality of carriers movable therealong, an endless belt for moving thecarriers consecutively in an endless path over a treating zone, and adetachable hanger on each carrier having locking means for holding samein a predetermined position on the carrier.

12. In a device of the class described, the combination of a frame,carrying means movable along the frame, reciprocating mechanismoperating in one direction to advance the carriers intermittently alongthe frame and in the other direction while the carriers remainstationary, and mechanism operating during the latter operation of saidreciprocating mechanism to withdraw a carrier from and return same tothe frame.

13. In a device of the class described, the combination of a carrierframe comprising a track with a removable section, a plu rality ofcarriers movable intermittently along the track so as to consecutivelyengage themovable section, means for withdrawing said section with acarrier thereon "from the track and returning same thereto,

combination of a carrier for moving articles to and from a treatingzone, and mechan sm for intermittently operating said carrier,

comprising a rotatable member eccentricall connected to operate thecarrier and a ford a gradually increasing initial movement and graduallydiminishing final movement thereof.

16. In a deviceof the class described, the combination of a carrieroperated intermittently to advance articles step by step there along, areciprocating means for removing the articles from the carrier to aposition of treatment and'returning same to the car'- rier, andmechanism for operating said reeiprocatingmeans so as to retard themovement thereof at each extremity of the reciprocation thereof.

17. In a device of the class described, the combination of a horizontaltrack, a series of trolleys for said track provided with means fordetachably receiving a series of articles to be subjected to treatment,a chain parallel with said track and provided with forked membersdetachably engaging and for moving said trolleys, means forintermittently moving said chain, said track being provided with a gapthrough which one of said trolleys "may be lowered to depress an articlefor treatment, a member constituting a closure for said gap during themovement of the articles under the influence of said chain, and meansfor lowering said member whereby a trolley temporarily resting thereonmay be depressed.

18. In a device of the class described, the combination of a dippingtank, a pair of parallel spaced apart track members arranged inthe samehorizontal plane and each having a gap in its continuity located abovethe tank, a series of axially horizontal trolley members adapted to rollupon and along said track and provided with spaced apart wheels capableof passing through said gaps, an intermittently movable chain providedwith downwardly facing forks for detachably engaging the trolleymembers, and closures for said gaps adapted to support and depress atrolley member resting on said closures and lower the same into thedipping tank MATTHEW F. BAYER.

